Appliance for relief of headache.



' J. M. BLASHPIELD.

APPLIANCE FOR RELIEF OF-HEADAGHE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 18, 1906.

Patented June 8, 1909.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES M. BLASHFIELD, OF KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN, ASSIGN OR OF ONE-HALF TO PETER V.

BLASHFIELD, OF MARSHALL, MICHIGAN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 8, 1909.

Applicationfiled. Jul 18, 1906. Serial No. 326,763.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, JAMES M. BLASHFIELD, citizen of the United States, residing at Kalamazoo, in the county of Kalamazoo and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Appliances for Relief of Headache, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is an improved medical bandage designed especially for relief of headache and which will exert a gentle pressure upon the head of the wearer and be self-conformable and not cause inconvenience or discomfort.

The appliance consists essentially of an elastic band and preferably metallic plates of novel formation mounted thereon.

For a full understanding of the invention, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a device embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional View thereof, the section be ing taken through one of the plates. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of a portion of the band and a plate mounted thereon. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of one of the plates, and Fig. 5 illustrates in perspective, one of the plates, the absorbent piece cooperating therewith, and the textile closure or fastening, the parts being separated and arranged in a group and the plate having its end portion opened. 7

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

My improved medical bandage comprises essentially an elastic band 1 preferably of webbing containing strands of rubber, the bands being of a size to be fitted to the average head and by its elastic nature adapted to be self-conformable.

2 designates a series of plates which are mounted upon the band at any desired dis tances from each other. Preferably these plates are of sheet metal, each having openings 3 and bent end portions 4 and 6. The opposite bent ends 4 are designed to retain a piece of absorbent material 5 of felt or the like, while the upper and lower bent ends 6 are designed to extend over and engage the opposite longitudinal edgeportions position on the band. As a ofthe elastic band 1 so as to retain the plate thereon. The bent ends 4 are comparatively narrow, whereas the bent ends 6 are of a length to admit of their extremities coming close together when the plate is properly fitted to the band. The edges of the bent ends 4 are straight in the present instance, while the edges of the bent ends 6 are curved. To avoid overlapping of the bent ends at and near the corners, the ends 4 are cut away, as best illustrated in Fig. 5. The felt or other absorbent-material is retained in place by clenching the ends 4 thereon, and the elastic band 1, it will be particularly noted, is confined between the bent ends 4 with the middle portion of the absorbent material 5 on one side, and the upper and lower bent ends 6 on the opposite side.

7 designates closures, preferably of textile fabric, that are secured to the bent ends 6 of the respective plates and that are of sufficient length to project beyond such ends and engage the elastic band 1. These closures are preferably coated with some cementitious substance so as to adhere to the bent ends 6 as well as to the band and thereby effectually retain the plates at the desired subsidiary feature, it may be remarked that the closures 7 cover the bent ends 6 along a portion of the edges thereof so as to prevent the hair of the wearer from getting between the bent ends and the elastic bands. Preferably the felt or absorbent 5 is adapted to receive some liquid remedial agent such as brine or acidulated water, the same being caused, by means of the openings 3, to directly reach the temples, say, or other portion of the wearers head, and in connection with the preferably metallic plates and the pressure thereof and of the band, to assist in relieving the headache.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. An appliance of the character set forth consisting of an elastic band, a series of plates mounted on said band, each plate having its upper and lower end portions bent over to engage the opposite longitudinal edge portions of said band, the other end portions of the plate being also bent and engaging that face of the band opposite from the face engaged by the first named bent portions, and an absorbent material clenched plates by the other bent end portions thereof, and securing strips cemented to the upper and lower bent edge portions of the respective plates and extending lengthwise beyond the same and cemented at their ends to the band.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES M. BLASHFIELD. [11.5.] \Vitnesses DELEVAN ARNOLD, EDWIN \V. VosBURG. 

